With the increasing popularity of boating, the kayak type boat has become increasingly popular due to its affordability and pleasure.
Typically, a kayak has included a rigid or flexible hull such as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,227,272 and 4,229,850. An inflatable kayak is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,580. The foregoing kayaks illustrated in the patents are of the conventional kayak construction wherein the boater sits in an enclosed cockpit within the hull of the kayak. Entry into the kayak is made through a small cockpit opening in the upper deck of the kayak. The boater sits in a seat generally enclosed within the hull. The cockpit opening is, typically, very small and is of sufficient size only to permit the ingress and egress of the boater. The popularity and use of this type boat for white-water boating has grown immensely over the years.
However there are many boating activities for which a kayak is highly suitable which do not require an enclosed cockpit type kayak described above. Moreover, certain persons do not enjoy the confinement of being enclosed in the small cockpit opening of a typical kayak, yet this type person does enjoy kayak boating. In kayaking, a double-bladed oar is typically utilized, and thrusts from the alternate paddling on one side of the kayak and then the other needs be transmitted through the body of the boater and the kayak for propelling and guiding the kayak. Thus, some structural connection must be made. In the typical closed-cockpit kayak, numerous engagements between the body and the kayak are made such as the knees or thighs engaging certain framework portions of the kayak.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,106,143 a surf ski is disclosed which includes an open-cockpit area and a generally T-shaped brace is provided in the middle of the surf ski by which the boater may engage himself and transmit thrust for propelling the boat. However, this type of arrangement is not suitable for many types of boating applications for which a kayak is used such as in fairly rough water or whitewater conditions.
Accordingly, an important object of the present invention is to provide a kayak type boat having an open cockpit in which a boater may effectively secure himself.
Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a kayak having an open cockpit in which a boater may be effectively secured for retention in a seated position and for transmitting thrust for propelling the kayak.
Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an open-cockpit kayak having an open cockpit which is contoured and provided with bracing features such that a boater may brace himself in the cockpit for retention in rough water conditions and which bracing will interlock the boater within the open cockpit and effectively transmit thrust for propelling the kayak as the boater paddles the kayak.